windows 8

Infopackets Reader Shelby C. writes: " Dear Dennis, I am in a huge hurry to upgrade my machine to Windows 10 because there won't be any more security updates for Windows 7 in January 2020, when Windows 7 reaches its end of life. I have tried to ... upgrade using the Upgrade Assistant and Windows 10 media, but I keep getting ' SAFE_OS phase error during Replicate_OC operation ' error, whatever that means. Windows 10 simply won't install on my machine! I have looked at articles all over the Internet including one from the Windows Club and none of them work. I really need your help! Can you please ... (view more)

Infopackets Reader Jerry K. writes: " Dear Dennis, I've read that the Windows 10 free upgrade ends at the end of this year. I have Windows 7 on my main PC and and my wife has Windows 8 on her laptop. In all, I find Windows 7 easier to use. Can we ... continue using Windows 7 and 8 indefinitely? Can you give me a few good reasons why I should get the free upgrade? " My response: I have been receiving a lot of questions lately similar to this, so I will try and answer this as best I can. First let's address your first question: no, you cannot continue using Windows 7 or 8 indefinitely (at least, ... (view more)

Microsoft has officially dropped support for Windows 8. The move leaves an estimated 30 to 50 million devices needing an upgrade to get security and usability updates. The move, which takes effect with this weeks updates, is potentially confusing as ... Windows 7 is still supported by Microsoft. Additionally, this isn't the usual support timetable that applies to older editions of Windows. Instead, Microsoft is simply dropping support for Windows 8 where users haven't applied the first major batch of updates. Previously that was known as a service pack, but in this case Microsoft chose to ... (view more)

It's official: Microsoft says that Windows 10 will be free of charge -- but the offer comes with limitations and caveats. The free upgrade offer is part of what could be the biggest change to the Windows business model, ever. Microsoft's comments at ... a launch event this week have been interpreted by some analysts as meaning Windows 10 may also be the last major release of the operating system. Instead, Windows may receive more frequent, but less substantial updates in the future. The Windows 10 free upgrade deal will only apply to consumer versions of Windows 7 (Service Pack 1) and Windows ... (view more)

HP has unveiled a Windows 8.1 mini desktop computer that's only two inches tall and costs under $200. It's part of an ongoing campaign to battle Google by producing cheap Windows computers. The Stream Mini Desktop is just under six inches square and ... weighs only 1.6 pounds. It's a small, self-contained box with two USB ports, video outputs for HDMI and DisplayPort, an audio socket, an SD card reader, and an Ethernet port for connecting to a network. At the time of writing, it does not appear to have a wireless (Wi-Fi) connection, though one could easily add a USB Wi-Fi dongle to ... (view more)

Infopackets Reader Eric H. writes: " Dear Dennis, I recently purchased a new PC with Windows 8.1. My old PC has Windows XP on it, and I would like to copy over all my programs from Windows XP to Windows 8.1. How can I do that? After I'm done moving ... over all my programs, I want to wipe the old Windows XP PC clean and give it away. " My response: Unfortunately, migrating from Windows XP to Windows 8.1 is not as easy as 'copying' over files from one PC to another. In this case, I suggest you do one of the following: 1. Reinstall all (or some of) your programs manually on the new Windows 8.1 ... (view more)

Dell President Renee James says Windows 10's impact on the struggling PC market will be huge, with the release of Microsoft's next operating system (OS) leading to an estimated 600 million PC upgrades. James, who recently spoke at the Credit Suisse ... Technology Conference in Scottsdale, Arizona, says there are hundreds of millions of PCs out there that are four years old or older. James says that many of the owners of these aging PCs have been putting off an upgrade because they simply weren't wowed by Microsoft's last operating system, Windows 8. Microsoft Being " ... (view more)

It's the end of the line for Windows 7 -- sort of. After this Friday, October 31, Microsoft will no longer sell Windows 7 licenses to PC manufacturers, otherwise known as OEMs (Original Equipment Manufacturers). That will force most PC makers to ... turn to Windows 8.1 -- at least, until Windows 10's release next year. For businesses who don't appreciate Windows 8's main features -- like the Start screen, touch integration, and "Modern" (or "Metro") user interface -- there's some good news. Microsoft will continue to allow PC makers to produce Windows 7 ... (view more)

Market research firm Gartner says that Microsoft's Windows operating system (OS) will play a key role in reviving the struggling PC market in 2015. According to Gartner, Microsoft's termination of security support for Windows XP will be the key ... factor in that revival. There's no denying that the PC industry has been in a downward spiral for several years now. Back in April, one of Gartner's competitors, IDC, reported that quarterly PC shipments had fallen 4.4 per cent to 73.4 million. Businesses to Finally Ditch Windows XP, Gartner Predicts But Gartner says it now sees a light ... (view more)

A new report suggests that when it comes to Windows 8, consumers continue to be very hesitant about upgrading to Microsoft's latest operating system - even two years after its release. That has led some experts to suggest that there's no hope left ... for Windows 8, leaving Windows 9 to carry the slack (reportedly due in the spring of 2015). Windows 8 was released amid some controversy in the summer and fall of 2012. Perhaps the most debatable part of the operating system was its tile-based Metro user interface (now called "Modern"), which embraces touchscreen technology. It was part of ... (view more)